First Drive: 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Just think of it as nine degrees of trouble. It all just depends on how good a driver you really are.

Nine simple clicks of the yellow stability control knob on the dash of the new Mercedes-AMG GT R, the crazy performance version of Merc’s two-seat sports car, will tell you immediately how adept you are at controlling a car. The knob allows you to incrementally go from full stability control to none at all, and if you do put it into the red indicator lights, you’d better be a very good driver, indeed.

Because with 577 horsepower coming from its twin-turbo, 4.0-litre V8, there is a serious potential for disaster. But there’s also a very real likelihood for some huge fun on a racetrack, such as here at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal, a high-speed, varying elevation rollercoaster of a circuit that hosts a World Superbike event every year. It’s the perfect venue to introduce the GT R, and what an introduction it is.

When the GT S version was first introduced a couple of years ago, it was obvious that Mercedes had one main target in mind: the Porsche 911. Similar dimensions, a rear-weight bias and just over 500 horsepower put it right on track with the 911 R. Then came the 456-hp GT, going head to head with the 911 Carrera GTS. Now, AMG has the mighty 911 Turbo in its sights with this GT R.

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

And Mercedes-AMG did a lot to the GT to make it a credible competitor, and not just with that motor (though the 577 hp at 6,250 rpm and 516 lb.-ft. of torque at just 1,900 rpm is a really good start). Much of the change has filtered down from its experience in motorsport, too; first off, it lightened the aluminum chassis by 15 kilograms – now down to 1,630 kg – with extensive use of carbon fibre and magnesium. Even the massive driveshaft, made of carbon fibre, is just 4 kg, an amazing achievement considering it has the strength to handle all that torque, while the torque tube surrounding it and which connects the engine to the seven-speed automatic transaxle is now a single unit made of carbon fibre that weighs just 13.9 kg. It even uses a lithium ion starter battery that’s about half the weight of a conventional lead acid type. The carbon fibre additions don’t just save weight but also increase the structural rigidity of the chassis for better handling.

There are also serious changes to the aerodynamics, too. The “active aerodynamics profile”– a flat swath of carbon fibre under the front end – actually moves depending on the speed or driving mode, and can decrease the front lift by up to 40 kg; it also changes airflow to the rear diffuser, which decreases lift there, too. Active louvres in the front and a large, fixed wing on the back also improve airflow, increasing traction while decreasing drag at the same time.

All of this technology cumulates into what’s sitting in front of me now in the pit lane of the Autodromo, in an outrageous hue of what Mercedes calls “AMG green hell magno” (that’s right, not “mango”); why? It’s in homage to an independent run of the GT R around the famed Nürburgring (aka The Green Hell) in just seven minutes, 10.9 seconds, a new record for street-legal cars (over to you, Porsche …). But there will be no records set today with me behind the wheel; I’ll leave those future attempts to Bernd Schneider, the former DTM champion and our lead driver today.

But what I do discover in countless runs around this wild circuit is a powerful, pointed, capable racing machine. Sure, it’s a little tail happy (much like the 911), as found when playing with that little yellow knob; going from full stability control that stops just about all tail wagging, and into the red lights (little to no control) that lets you go around corners sideways. The immense torque that comes on early makes it a chore to keep the rear tires in check, but once they do find their purchase the car pushes you into the seat with the glorious roar of that 4.0L. It’s a hell of a motor, though not as guttural sounding with those twin turbos; more refined than raw. But there’s no discernible turbo lag – when you want it to move, you’d better hang on, and power through the revs is very linear.

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Neil Vorano, Driving

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Neil Vorano, Driving

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Neil Vorano, Driving

AMG GT R

Mercedes-Benz

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Neil Vorano, Driving

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Neil Vorano, Driving

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Neil Vorano, Driving

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Neil Vorano, Driving

AMG GT R

Mercedes-Benz

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Neil Vorano, Driving

2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Neil Vorano, Driving

Mercedes-AMG GT R

Mercedes-Benz

The seven-speed auto gearbox is pretty good, too. No, it’s actually perfect, at least going around the track. It seems to anticipate corners on its own, downshifting at just the right time, then upshifting at the ideal rpm as you hammer the throttle. I shifted my own gears with the paddles for a bit but gave up; this transmission is dialled in for hard driving.

A few changes to the suspension have helped the GT R find more traction and control, too; a coil-over suspension in front and continuously active damping all around settle the car in high-g turns, while an electronic rear axle locking differential helps traction at the rear. Active rear steering – a first for Mercedes and AMG – makes cornering even sharper.

As Schneider pushes us faster and faster around these sweeping, high-speed corners, it becomes apparent how much stick the car has to the track. Turn-in is sharp and accurate, with little to no understeer, even on tight hairpins; the massive carbon ceramic disc brakes pull the car to a stop and a driver out of his seat (thanks for the special yellow seatbelts, AMG). I actually find myself giddily yelling out loud as we sail over a blind hill and down to a light braking point before another wide, high-speed, uphill left-hander. Overall, it’s a very balanced racing machine that just happens to also be street legal; in one word, thrilling.

The obvious question is: How does it compare with the 911 Turbo? Honestly, it’s a question of preferences and increments. It would be impossible to judge without a side-by-side drive, but suffice to say, Porsche needs to bring its A-game come time for a full 911 redesign. This GT R is, without doubt, one of the best track cars I have ever had the pleasure to pilot at speed.

Oh, it’s not perfect, of course. Accommodations are tight and getting out requires the long-limbed to move the seat back all the way; at least it’s operated manually with a locking lever instead of an agonizingly slow electric motor. And those single-shell carbon fibre seats may be perfect to contain a driver on a track, but you’d be hard-pressed to spend more than an hour on the motorway in them. (These, however, are only available in Europe; we’ll be getting fully adjustable seats like those in the GT S.) And around town, the gearbox isn’t as smooth as you’d like, with subtle bumps as it downshifts.

But who cares? This is not a grand touring car. Hell no; this is a car for people who grab life by the little yellow knob.

The Mercedes-AMG GT R will be available in Canada next summer; no word on pricing yet, but expect it to be north of the $200,000 mark.